The Folsom Police Department is known to hold regular “Coffee with a Cop” events throughout the year, but on Wednesday, their local event took place on a day when such events were celebrated nationally. It was National Coffee with a Cop Day, and plenty of local residents came out to join officers from the department.
Folsom police officers gathered at Coffee Republic Wednesday morning for the event. It wasn’t just about enjoying a cup of joe, however. Several members of the department, including Folsom Police Chief Rick Hillman, spent time speaking with residents who attended. The event offered members of the community the chance to engage with the department, ask questions, and share their concerns about various community topics face-to-face with officers in a casual, social environment.
“We had an amazing morning celebrating National Coffee with a Cop Day,” the department shared in a community statement on social media. “Thanks to all who came out to have coffee with us, and thank you, Coffee Republic, for hosting us.”
Coffee with a Cop was launched in Hawthorne, California, in 2011, when officers from the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served. Community policing has long been considered a framework for establishing trust between the community and the police.
However, over time, the character and composition of our nation’s communities have changed due to shifting demographics, more commuters, and the introduction of different communication methods such as websites and social media. The Hawthorne Police Department hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that had built up over the years—a cup of coffee.
Coffee with a Cop events are now held in all 50 states and are among the most successful community-oriented policing programs in the country. The program has also expanded beyond the United States to Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America. The key to Coffee with a Cop’s growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together.
Wednesday’s event wasn’t the first time the Folsom Police Department participated in engaging social events with the community, and it certainly will not be the last. Last Wednesday, Chief Hillman joined the Folsom mayor, the fire chief, and several members of the Sacramento County-area media at Jimboy’s Tacos, where more than $8,000 was raised for local charities in a community taco-eating contest to celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary. Hillman’s participation raised funds for local Special Olympics.
On October 26, the police department will join forces with the fire department for one of its biggest annual community events as they host their annual Halloween Trunk or Treat outside the station on Natoma Street from 9 a.m. until noon, offering families with youngsters the opportunity to engage with members of the departments and a safe option for trick-or-treating. The event is free to the public.
